P-38 Lightning

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Thanks - I see it as either P-38 meets Pond Racer or P-38 meets Star Wars.

BTW, it is now either a taildragger (my preference) or a reverse tricycle undercarriage.

Yep, Pond Racer or Pod Racer, either description would fit your latest creation.  As far as the landing gear, you could move the main gear further back on the booms and declare that the nose wheel still exists in the original positon. 

[GTX]

Another alternative - this time based upon one of Kelly Johnson's original designs for the P-38.  Note that the engines have been moved forward a bit and I'm assuming the turbo superchargers are under the booms.  Weapons would be in the wing centre section.



Regards,

Greg

[GTX]

Another alternative based upon one of Kelly Johnson's original designs for the P-38.  I've taken a little more license with this one and have put guns in the booms.  I've also left out the turbo superchargers for now, although they could be in the bottom of the centre pod I suppose. 



regards,

Greg

[ysi_maniac]

Another Kelly studies was a classical twin engine, a la Mosquito. Please!

BTW, nice designs/drawings

[jcf]

I've been remiss and not posted the photos from the IPMS-Seattle Spring Show this past April.
Anyhow here are three shots of the R-2800 powered P-38 that won the Best What-If? award.

Jon

[jcf]

The real deal for a radial powered Lightning type aircraft for the USN, Lockheed Model 24 (note that while it looks like the Model 22/P-38 it is dimensionally different).


Powered by R-1535 engines.

Jon

[ysi_maniac]

I've been remiss and not posted the photos from the IPMS-Seattle Spring Show this past April.
Anyhow here are three shots of the R-2800 powered P-38 that won the Best What-If? award.

Jon

A point regarding this beautiful whiff: Would it need water refrigerators?

[jcf]

I've been remiss and not posted the photos from the IPMS-Seattle Spring Show this past April.
Anyhow here are three shots of the R-2800 powered P-38 that won the Best What-If? award.

Jon

A point regarding this beautiful whiff: Would it need water refrigerators?

IIRC he left them in place for the turbo-intercoolers.
'Twouldn't be my personal choice but to quote the Wooksta.... 

Jon

[PanzerWulff]

Does anyone know if they ever tried merlins on the P-38? I know that they used them on later P-40s and of course the mustang but what would it have done for the Lightning?

[jcf]

Does anyone know if they ever tried merlins on the P-38? I know that they used them on later P-40s and of course the mustang but what would it have done for the Lightning?

Merlins were considered but never implemented.

The conversion would have required extensive engineering and a serious disruption of production, also the AAF wasn't interested
in spending much time or money on further major developments of the P-40 or P-38.

As to any potential increase in performance, that would depend on the type of Merlin... the name covers a wide variety of
engine configurations and power ratings and not all Merlins are created equal. The single-stage, two-speed type used on the
P-40F/L didn't turn that aircraft into anything spectacular, the performance was little different from that of the Allison powered
variants.

Jon

[PanzerWulff]

I was thinking of the later models like those used on the P-51D or the later Mosquitos.Heck or even Griffons like in the later Spitfires married with the P-38's turbo superchargers
"Panzer"

[Leigh]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Griffon powered contra-props.

[Sauragnmon]

Here's a sadistic thought - a Lightning powered by a pair of Vultures I think they were... the monster of an engine out of the Hawker Tempest/Typhoon.  The great big massive H-Block engines.  This is your lightning.  This is your lightning on Drugs. any questions?

[Zaskar24]

Here's a sadistic thought - a Lightning powered by a pair of Vultures I think they were... the monster of an engine out of the Hawker Tempest/Typhoon.  The great big massive H-Block engines.  This is your lightning.  This is your lightning on Drugs. any questions?

The Typhoon/Tempest were both powered by the Napier Sabre H-Block though I believe the Tempest was at various times also powered by the Centauraus radial engine?  The more knowledgeable here please correct me.  My main question with going to the Sabre would be how Lightnings high altitude performance would suffer since the Sabres were optimized for lower level flight weren't they?

Scott

[elmayerle]

Ive been thinking about P38s with Merlins, mainly as I've a few left over from various Mosquitos.

If you've got any Mosquito wings left over, how about also converting the P-38 to leading edge radiators like th Mosquito?